Which agencies are the best?

suzanne4, RN · Jan 2, 2005

Does anyone know which agencies are ok to work for? Since all my problrms I am very leary to work for any of them, so if some one could stear me in the right direction I would be ever so grateful

Depends on your city and specialty. You need to be much more specific.

eddy · Jan 21, 2005

Does anyone know which agencies are ok to work for? Since all my problrms I am very leary to work for any of them, so if some one could stear me in the right direction I would be ever so grateful

Generally I say that locally owned agencies tend to be the best from my experience. The big national agencies tend to have a high level of turnover in the offices and from my experience many have some pretty major financial problems. Established local agencies often have a better grasp on the market and have better relationships with the facilities.

This is just what I have experienced in my years of agency nursing.

graysonret · Feb 23, 2005

Around here, in Virginia, I've found, over the years, that 2 agencies seem to work out best for me. One is Nursefinders and the other is Maxim. I prefer Maxim because of their benes and paid 1 week vacation after 480 hours. This might vary from state to state. Others that I've tried have been pretty much as "fill-ins" for slow periods. No benes or regular work. Some are speciality agencies like "peds" or "home health". I like to keep 2-3 agencies available so I can pick and choose what I want, or to keep me busy when it gets slow.

lifeLONGstudent · Mar 25, 2005

Which agencies do you recommend in the DFW area?

Why do you recommend them?

Which ones have you had bad experiences with (if you want to type what happened, I am sure the readers would appreciate you sharing)

thanks,

lifeLONGstudent

NurseNeeds · Apr 27, 2005

Which agencies do you recommend in the DFW area?
Why do you recommend them?
Which ones have you had bad experiences with (if you want to type what happened, I am sure the readers would appreciate you sharing)
thanks,
lifeLONGstudent

The Right Solutions has about 8 or 10 hospitals in TX they have contracts with not counting VA's. go to http://www.therightsolutions.com

ocdgirl2000 · May 16, 2005

i have heard about Maxim in Maryland too.Does anyone else know about any Maryland Nursing agencies that are nice to work for?

JustOne · May 26, 2005

i have heard about Maxim in Maryland too.Does anyone else know about any Maryland Nursing agencies that are nice to work for?

I have really enjoyed working Maxim offices in the past, both Ft. Worth and Dallas are great to work for.

ruthiebaby88 · Jun 7, 2005

well the smaller agencies can often offer better benefits and pay rates - however they have fewer jobs to choose from

the larger agencies have more chance of placing you in the specific place you would like to go but benefits and wages can be slightly less

remember to bargain - it works - tell your recruiter you are talking to different agencies and you might be able to get that nicer housing, or that extra dollar or two in hourly wage - your recruiter can make a huge difference here = some will really battle to get you what you want - others just aren't interested

always job hunt with more than one agency - i usually start with about 5 - tell them where i want to go and listen to the jobs they have open in those areas - comparing rates of pay etc

after the interview take a few days to think about the offer = that's the time for bargaining - take the best job you are offered

after several job hunts i have often ended up going with good ol' american mobile - my recruiter Kerry Powers is excellent and really makes the difference for me - even though some of the smaller agencies offer more benefits, etc, this is the one that always seems to find me the job i am looking for

Nataliel_25 · Jun 13, 2005

Helloo!

I'm looking for a good time-proved recruitment agency in California. Are there some suggestions from your expirience? I'm afraid to be cheated.

:Melody: This is my first time here and so I'd like to greet averyone and wish to all of us luck :))

suzanne4, RN · Jun 15, 2005

What you are looking for will not be found on this thread. You are looking for a company that will sponsor you. Agency in US nursing refers to per diem work in the US..not a permanent position. :)

Try posting on the International forum.

WSU-RN · Nov 20, 2005

I have been with InteliStaf here in Seattle for about 13 months and I just love them. I work full-time with them. I checked out a few other agencies before signing up with InteliStaf. Here are the main reasons I chose them over some of the other agencies.

1) Choices. They have contract with all the hospitals in the area. This gives me more choices than with some other agencies.

2) Good pay rates. I don't know if InteliStaf has the best rates, but I have found they are consistently higher than Maxim and some other of the larger agencies.

3) Benifits and Insurance. I have Blue Cross/Blue Sheild health insurance through InteliStaf. I also have Dental, Vision, a 401 K plan and vacation benefits.

4) Travel Division. InteliStaf has a travel division. Although I personally have not been on a travel contract through them, I know a few of the other InteliStaf nurses I work with have. This was convenient for them because they did not have to go to another agency to get a travel contract.

5) Lots of Offices through out the US. When I was looking to sign up with an agency, I wasn't sure if I was going to remain in the Seattle area. My recruiter told me that InteliStaf had offices in most of the states, and that my file could be easily transfered to another InteliStaf office if I decided to relocate.

6) Credentialing Interview. I was told when I was hired that InteliStaf was the only agency that required their employees to go through a credentialing interview. I have talked to nurses from quite a fww other agencies, and none of them were required by their agency to go through this. While this step may make the hiring process a bit longer, I think it makes InteliStaf a more credible agency for the facilities they serve.

7) Small Things. I was unaware of this when I was hired, but the Seattle office does a good job of doing little things. I have received cards of appreciation from the staffers for picking up some late call shifts. They also have a free scrubs program in which they give you a free set of scrubs after working a certain amount of hours. I don't know if they do that in every InteliStaf office, but the Seattle office does a good job of making me feel like I am appreciated.

7) Referral Bonuses. I have made a good chunk of change from InteliStaf for just refering a few people to them. I don't spend my time recruiting other agency RNs. I don't have the time or energy for that, but I am freqently asked by other agency nurses if I am happy at InteliStaf. No agency is perfect, but from some of the horror stories I have heard from some other agency nurses, I consider myself quite lucky to be with an agency that I really enjoy.

There are also a few new things InteliStaf has added since I have been hired.

1) On-line Hiring process. One of the RNs I just recently started working with said that she completed her application and most of her paperwork on-line. I wish this feature had been available when I was hired. Another one of the RNs I work with said that she renewed her skills checklist online also.

2) JCAHO accredidation. The office here in Seattle is going through the process of being JCAHO certified. I think once they get their certification, they will be the hospital's first choice among agencies.

I would encourage you to check out a few different agencies and find which one will work best for you and your goals. For some reason or another, InteliStaf may not be the best choice for you, but I would definately encourage you to check them out.

:balloons: